Healing Pattern Analysis for Dental Implants Using the Mechano-Regulatory Tissue Differentiation Model.

(1) Background: Our aim is to reveal the influence of the geometry designs on biophysical stimuli and healing patterns. The design guidelines for dental implants can then be provided. (2) Methods: A two-dimensional axisymmetric finite element model was developed based on mechano-regulatory algorithm. The history of tissue differentiation around eight selected implants can be predicted. The performance of the implants was evaluated by bone area (BA), bone-implant contact (BIC); (3) Results: The predicted healing patterns have very good agreement with the experimental observation. Many features observed in literature, such as soft tissues covering on the bone-implant interface; crestal bone loss; the location of bone resorption bumps, were reproduced by the model and explained by analyzing the solid and fluid biophysical stimuli and (4) Conclusions: The results suggested the suitable depth, the steeper slope of the upper flanks, and flat roots of healing chambers can improve the bone ingrowth and osseointegration. The mechanism related to solid and fluid biophysical stimuli were revealed. In addition, the model developed here is efficient, accurate and ready to extend to any geometry of dental implants. It has potential to be used as a clinical application for instant prediction/evaluation of the performance of dental implants.

Element Effects on High-Entropy Alloy Vacancy and Heterogeneous Lattice Distortion Subjected to Quasi-equilibrium Heating.

We applied Simmons-Balluffi methods, positron measurements, and neutron diffraction to estimate the vacancy of CoCrFeNi and CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloys (HEAs) using Cu as a benchmark. The corresponding formation enthalpies and associated entropies of the HEAs and Cu were calculated. The vacancy-dependent effective free volumes in both CoCrFeNi and CoCrFeMnNi alloys are greater than those in Cu, implying the easier formation of vacancies by lattice structure relaxation of HEAs at elevated temperatures. Spatially resolved synchrotron X-ray measurements revealed different characteristics of CoCrFeNi and CoCrFeMnNi HEAs subjected to quasi-equilibrium conditions at high temperatures. Element-dependent behavior revealed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) mapping indicates the effect of Mn on the Cantor Alloy.

Anti-tumor Molecular Mechanism of Capsaicin / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Malignant tumors are major chronic diseases that threaten human health worldwide and one of the most serious public health problems in China and even in the world in the 21st century. How to effectively control and even cure tumors is also one of the most essential problems in the medical field today. Currently, although surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy remain the main therapies, the accompanying adverse events of chemotherapy and radiotherapy cannot be ignored. Therefore, it is of great significance to find new anti-tumor targeted drugs with a low toxicity and strong effects. Capsaicin is a plant base of fat-soluble vanillin amide isolated from Solanaceae. Its chemical structure is trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide (C18H27NO3), a type of monoclinic rectangular flake of colorless crystals, which is the main biologically active ingredient in peppers. Capsaicin has a wide range of pharmacological effects, including anti-oxidation, prevention of cardiovascular disease, protection of gastrointestinal mucosa, analgesia, anti-inflammation, itching relief and even anti-tumor. Numerous studies indicated that capsaicin has significant anti-tumor effects in vivo and in vitro. Capsaicin can play a chemopreventive role by regulating the metabolism of carcinogens and the interaction of carcinogens with DNA. As well, capsaicin was proven to play an anti-tumor effect by inhibiting tumor cell proliferation, inducing tumor cell cycle arrest, promoting tumor cell apoptosis, inhibiting tumor cell migration, invasion and metastasis, inhibiting tumor angiogenesis, regulating tumor cell autophagy and mediating of tumor immunity. In this paper, we searched, analyzed, and summarized domestic and foreign literatures relating to capsaicin in recent years. We reviewed the effect of capsaicin on inhibiting tumor cell proliferation, inducing tumor cell cycle arrest, promoting tumor cell apoptosis, inhibiting tumor cell migration, invasion and metastasis, inhibiting tumor angiogenesis, regulating tumor cell autophagy and mediating of tumor immunity, as well as the underlying main molecular mechanisms, so as to provide scientific and theoretical basis for further research, development and utilization of capsaicin.

Effect of Capsaicin in Inhibiting Migration and Invasion of Breast Cancer MCF-7 Cells by Down-regulating SIRT1 / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To investigate the effect of capsaicin on the migration and invasion of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and the underlying molecular mechanism. Method: Three capsaicin intervention groups of different concentrations (25, 50, 75 μmol·L-1) and a blank group were set up. After MCF-7 cells were treated with different concentrations of capsaicin (25, 50, 75 μmol·L-1) for 24 h, the cell migration and invasion abilities were assessed by Transwell migration and invasion assay, respectively. Meanwhile, the mRNA level of silent information regulator 2 homolog 1 (SIRT1) and DNA polymerase δ catalytic subunit p125 encoding gene POLD1 (POLD1) were detected by Real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR). The protein levels of SIRT1 and DNA polymerase δ catalytic subunit p125 (p125) were detected by Western blot. Result: Compared with the blank group, the number of transmembrane cells was significantly reduced, and the mobility was significantly decreased (P-1) in MCF-7 cells for 24 h. Capsaicin (25, 50, 75 μmol·L-1) significantly down-regulated the mRNA and protein expressions of SIRT1 (P-1) in MCF-7 cells for 24 h. Furthermore, capsaicin (25, 50, 75 μmol·L-1) also significantly down-regulated the mRNA expression of POLD1 and the protein expression of p125 (P-1) in MCF-7 cells for 24 h. Conclusion: Capsaicin remarkably inhibits the cell migration and invasion of breast cancer MCF-7 cells, and the possible mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of SIRT1 and POLD1 mRNA expression levels and SIRT1 and p125 protein expression levels.

Inhibitory Effect of Capsaicin on Growth of Breast Cancer MDA-MB-231 Cells Transplanted Tumor in Nude Mice / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effect of capsaicin on the growth of breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells transplanted tumour in nude mice and its possible molecular mechanism. Method: Transplanted tumor model of breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells in nude mice were established. Then the tumor-bearing mice were randomly divided into 4 groups:model group, and low, medium and high-dose capsaicin groups (5, 10, 20 mg·kg-1). Mice of low, medium and high-dose capsaicin groups (5, 10, 20 mg·kg-1) were intraperitoneally injected with the corresponding dose of capsaicin, and the model group was injected with the same volume of phosphate buffer saline (PBS), once every 3 days, for a total of 8 times in succession. Body weight of mice and transplantation tumor volume were measured before each injection of capsaicin. Mice of each group were put to death 24 h after the last administration, and then the tumor volume, mass and the tumor inhibitory rate were calculated. The protein expression levels of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and Toll-like receptors 4(TLR4) were measured by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Result: No significant difference was observed between each group in body weight. However, compared with the model group, capsaicin (5, 10, 20 mg·kg-1) remarkably inhibited the tumor volume and mass (PPP-1) also markedly inhibited the protein expression levels of HMGB1 and TLR4 (PConclusion: Capsaicin remarkably inhibits the growth of breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells transplanted tumour in nude mice, and the possible mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of HMGB1 and TLR4 at the protein level.

A new failure mechanism of electromigration by surface diffusion of Sn on Ni and Cu metallization in microbumps.

Microbumps in three-dimensional integrated circuit now becomes essential technology to reach higher packaging density. However, the small volume of microbumps dramatically changes the characteristics from the flip-chip (FC) solder joints. For a 20 µm diameter microbump, the cross-section area and the volume are only 1/25 and 1/125 of a 100 µm diameter FC joint. The small area significantly enlarges the current density although the current crowding effect was reduced at the same time. The small volume of solder can be fully transformed into the intermetallic compounds (IMCs) very easily, and the IMCs are usually stronger under electromigration (EM). These result in the thoroughly change of the EM failure mechanism in microbumps. In this study, microbumps with two different diameter and flip-chip joints were EM tested. A new failure mechanism was found obviously in microbumps, which is the surface diffusion of Sn. Under EM testing, Sn atoms tend to migrate along the surface to the circumference of Ni and Cu metallization to form Ni3Sn4 and Cu3Sn IMCs respectively. When the Sn diffuses away, necking or serious void formation occurs in the solder, which weakens the electrical and mechanical properties of the microbumps. Theoretic calculation indicates that this failure mode will become even significantly for the microbumps with smaller dimensions than the 18 µm microbumps.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Diagnosis of Locally Recurrent Prostate Cancer: Are All Pulse Sequences Helpful?

OBJECTIVE: To perform a meta-analysis to quantitatively assess functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of locally recurrent prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive search of the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was conducted from January 1, 1995 to December 31, 2016. Diagnostic accuracy was quantitatively pooled for all studies by using hierarchical logistic regression modeling, including bivariate modeling and hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) curves (AUCs). The Z test was used to determine whether adding functional MRI to T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) results in significantly increased diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS: Meta-analysis of 13 studies involving 826 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy showed a pooled sensitivity and specificity of 91%, and the AUC was 0.96. Meta-analysis of 7 studies involving 329 patients who underwent radiotherapy showed a pooled sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 81%, and the AUC was 0.88. Meta-analysis of 11 studies reporting 1669 sextant biopsies from patients who underwent radiotherapy showed a pooled sensitivity of 54% and specificity of 91%, and the AUC was 0.85. Sensitivity after radiotherapy was significantly higher when diffusion-weighted MRI data were combined with T2WI than when only T2WI results were used. This was true when meta-analysis was performed on a per-patient basis (p = 0.027) or per sextant biopsy (p = 0.046). A similar result was found when ¹H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-MRS) data were combined with T2WI and sextant biopsy was the unit of analysis (p = 0.036). CONCLUSION: Functional MRI data may not strengthen the ability of T2WI to detect locally recurrent prostate cancer in patients who have undergone radical prostatectomy. By contrast, diffusion-weight MRI and ¹H-MRS data may improve the sensitivity of T2WI for patients who have undergone radiotherapy.

Effects of FBI-1 silencing on proliferation and apoptosis of triple-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 / 生理学报

This work aimed to observe the effects of short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-silenced FBI-1 (factor that binds to the inducer of short transcripts of human immunodeficiency virus-1) on proliferation and apoptosis of triple-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis were applied to detect the mRNA and/or protein expression of FBI-1, Bcl-2, Bax, cleaved-Caspase 3 and Survivin. RNA interference method was used to silence FBI-1 expression in MDA-MB-231 cells. CCK-8 and colony formation assay were employed to detect the cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was employed for examining cell apoptosis. In vivo tumorigenicity of MDA-MB-231 cells was detected by tumor transplantation in nude mice. The results showed that the mRNA and protein expressions of FBI-1 were higher in MDA-MB-231 cells compared with those in normal human mammary epithelial cells MCF-10A. FBI-1 gene silencing inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro, together with decreased Bcl-2 and Survivin protein expression, increased Bax protein expression and activated Caspase 3. Moreover, FBI-1 gene silencing inhibited the tumorigenesis of MDA-MB-231 cells in vivo. These results suggest that silencing of FBI-1 gene inhibits proliferation, induces apoptosis and suppresses the tumorigenesis of MDA-MB-231 cells.

Electromigration Mechanism of Failure in Flip-Chip Solder Joints Based on Discrete Void Formation.

In this investigation, SnAgCu and SN100C solders were electromigration (EM) tested, and the 3D laminography imaging technique was employed for in-situ observation of the microstructure evolution during testing. We found that discrete voids nucleate, grow and coalesce along the intermetallic compound/solder interface during EM testing. A systematic analysis yields quantitative information on the number, volume, and growth rate of voids, and the EM parameter of DZ*. We observe that fast intrinsic diffusion in SnAgCu solder causes void growth and coalescence, while in the SN100C solder this coalescence was not significant. To deduce the current density distribution, finite-element models were constructed on the basis of the laminography images. The discrete voids do not change the global current density distribution, but they induce the local current crowding around the voids: this local current crowding enhances the lateral void growth and coalescence. The correlation between the current density and the probability of void formation indicates that a threshold current density exists for the activation of void formation. There is a significant increase in the probability of void formation when the current density exceeds half of the maximum value.

Comparison of high pressure and ambient pressure aerobic granulation sequential batch reactor processes.

Due to granule size, substrate and oxygen become limited in the core of granules leading to cell lysis at the core. Loss of granule stability is still a major barrier for practical application of AG. Compared to ambient pressure condition (AP), operation of AG under high pressure (HP) is a favorable condition for formation and stability of granules. Experimental results show that granulation was facilitated under HP condition. MLSS and size of granules under AP system are higher than those under HP system. However, SS of effluent in AP is higher than those in HP and is consisted mainly of flocculent sludge. Longer SRT and lower biomass yield are obtained in HP system, indicating that less sludge will be produced in HP system. HP system can operate at high nitrogen loading. Complete nitrification was observed earlier in HP, indicating that the growth of NOB was facilitated under high dissolved oxygen.